It was a 10th consecutive home league win for Liverpool and gave Brendan Rodgers's side a six-point lead over fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur.

Liverpool needed less than three minutes to take the lead, with Sturridge collecting Raheem Sterling's pass and rounding Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm to score after Angel Rangel had lost possession in midfield.

Sturridge has now scored in eight consecutive Premier League games and he set up his side's second goal in the 20th minute with a lay-off that was curled home by Henderson.

Two goals in four minutes brought Swansea level, however, with former Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey smashing home via the crossbar before Wilfried Bony headed home via a deflection off Martin Skrtel.

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Sturridge restored Liverpool's lead in the 36th minute, converting a cross from Luis Suarez with his head, but Bony equalised from the penalty spot early in the second half after he had been pulled back by Skrtel.

It had been a ramshackle performance by Liverpool, but they finally secured victory with 16 minutes remaining when Henderson bundled the ball home after Suarez's shot was deflected into his path.

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Tottenham Hotspur lost ground in the race for Champions League qualification as Norwich City boosted their hopes of Premier League survival with a 1-0 victory.

Robert Snodgrass claimed the decisive goal in the 47th minute at Carrow Road to give Norwich only a second win in 12 games and lift Chris Hughton's side four points clear of the relegation zone.

Tottenham were bidding to return to within three points of fourth-place Liverpool, 4-3 victors against Swansea City earlier on Sunday, but instead were left six points below the Champions League berths in fifth place.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel was drafted back into the Norwich line-up and he saw an early chance pass him by when he was unable to make telling contact with a bouncing ball inside the Spurs box after a corner.

The visitors received an early blow when holding midfielder Etienne Capoue was forced off through injury in the 13th minute, with Nacer Chadli coming on in his place.

The first half was a tame affair, with a curling effort from Spurs midfielder Paulinho that drifted over the bar the best effort that either side could muster.

However, the game received an injection of intrigue early in the second half when Snodgrass put Norwich ahead.

Bradley Johnson's pass inside Spurs left-back Danny Rose released the Scotland international and he shaped a left-foot shot into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the area.

Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy then saved bravely at the feet of Emmanuel Adebayor, who had nicked the ball away from Sebastien Bassong, before Snodgrass saw a swerving drive parried by Hugo Lloris at the other end.

Snodgrass twice threatened to add a second goal with efforts from outside the box, while Ruddy produced a fine block to deny Chadli.

It was Norwich who came closest to scoring in the dying stages, however, with Johnson crashing a free-kick against the bar and onto the line, before Lloris had to save at his near post from Nathan Redmond.

In the day's other game, Loic Remy marked his return to the Newcastle United team after suspension by smashing home an injury-time winner in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The French striker collected a deflected effort by Luuk de Jong and beat Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan in the 92nd minute to give Newcastle a first home win in five league games after a run of four straight defeats.